Firms resolve to conserve energy

CUTTING BACK In a letter of intent, retailers vowed to install power-saving freezing equipment and to keep air conditioners set at no lower than 26oC

By Jessie Ho / STAFF REPORTER

Seven major hypermarket operators and and other retail chains yesterday signed a letter of intent with the Bureau of Energy to join in efforts to conserve energy.

The objective of the campaign will be to save approximately 60 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 37,000 tonnes over three years.

The reduction in emissions would produce an effect equivalent to planting enough trees to fill 96 parks the size of Taipei's Da'an Forest Park.

Companies participating in the drive include Carrefour Corp Taiwan, RT-Mart (大潤發), Far Eastern Geant (愛買), Costco, Taiwan Sugar Corp (台糖), home furnishing retailer B&Q and home appliance and consumer electronic chain Tsann Kuen Group (燦坤), the bureau said in a press release on its Web site.

The seven hypermarket operators run a total 113 outlets nationwide and consume 840 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, the bureau said.

The companies promised to switch to more power-efficient appliances, including lighting systems and freezing equipment, and to keep air conditioners set at no lower than 26oC, it said.

Electricity consumption by the nation's businesses has grown by 4.7 percent on average annually over the last five years, the bureau's statistics showed. Hypermarkets consumed twice as much electricity as ordinary office buildings in proportion to floor space.

The nation's power consumption rose 6.2 percent from a year earlier to 19.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in May, following a year-on-year increase of 2.7 percent during the previous month, the bureau reported earlier this week.

Last year, the bureau signed a similar agreement with the nation's five major convenience store chains to reduce electricity consumption.

Over twelve months the convenience store chain operators have in total reduced their electricity consumption by 43.69 million kilowatt-hours and saved NT$89.71 million (US$2.74 million) on their electricity bills, the bureau said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will continue its program to help private companies establish energy management systems.

The ministry's program aims to reduce energy consumption by between 5 percent and 8 percent within three years, the statement said.